Honor Bound
by ForTalosandtheEmpire
Summary: Mara Fides thought she'd spend the rest of her life in prison. Instead she finds herself on a quest to find and protect the only living heir of the Septim bloodline. As the Gates of Oblivion open and the Third Era comes to an end, the fate of the Empire rests with this young woman and a man she who wasn't quite what she'd expected. Hero of Kvatch/Martin Septim
1. Chapter 1: Fate

**Rating: Rated M for violence and some language**

**Disclaimer: Oblivion is the property of Bethesda Game Studios, not me.**

* * *

The dungeons of the Imperial Prison were cold, dank, and dark, the only light coming in through small, barred windows set high in the walls or from the flickering torches that spluttered feebly in the halls between the cells. No sound but the faint drip of water and the crackle of the torches disturbed the stifling silence that cloaked the place. It was there that I spent my first night in Cyrodiil. I rested with my knees pulled into my chest and my head bowed forward. I'd been there since they'd locked me in. Sleep hadn't come. Not for a sinner like me. After all that I'd done I'd started to think that maybe I didn't deserve any peace.

Hours passed. My thirst finally overcame my stupor. I reached up to the table beside me, took the pitcher and cup that had been placed there, and poured myself some water. It was cool and soothing as it passed my parched lips.

"Hey! Hey, you!"

I paused and lowered my cup. Was someone talking to me? I looked around for the source of the voice.

Whoever it was must have gotten a glimpse of me, because the voice rasped again, "Ooh, aren't you a fair lass?"

I got to my feet and padded toward the cell door, brushing my long hair back over my shoulder as I did. Once there, I caught a glimpse of my fellow prisoner. He was Dunmeri, with dark gray-blue skin and long silver hair. He leered at me, his long fingers curled around the bars of his cell door. I saw his red eyes flash in the torchlight.

"Your skin is so pale, so pure. And your body is so… strong. Let me guess; a Nord, right?"

"Imperial," I corrected in a low voice.

The fool cupped a hand to one of his pointed ears and shouted, "What did you say? Speak up."

I hurled a cup at the door. It clattered as it hit the bars of the door and rolled away. "I'm an Imperial, you n'wah!"

I don't think he knew what to make of that at first. His angled brow rose in surprise at my outburst. Maybe it was the Dunmeri curse that threw him off. Then he grinned and cackled, "An Imperial in an Imperial prison. I guess they don't play favorites, huh? Your own kinsmen think you're a piece of human trash. How sad. I bet the guards give you special treatment before the end. Oh, that's right. You're going to die in here, Imperial. You're going to _die!_ Imperial criminal scum like you give the Empire a bad name, you see. You're an embarrassment. Best if you just… disappeared."

I turned away with a snarl. I didn't want to throw anything else, not that there was much else to throw. And what good what that do? I prayed for the gods to give me the strength to outlast this torment. It was bad enough that I was going to spend the rest of my life locked away. Now I would have to deal with that fool for what was left of it. I slid into the corner furthest away from the door. He wouldn't have been able to see me there. I thought that maybe he'd get tired of taunting me if he couldn't see my reaction. I'd rather have wasted away in silence than listened to another word from his damn mouth.

After a while, there was the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. The Dunmer said something else, but I ignored him that time. It was probably something about the guards coming to get me. By then, I'd have been grateful if they had. But he was wrong, and I wasn't so lucky.

"Baurus, lock that door behind us." It was a woman speaking. She certainly _sounded_ like a guard. I thought for a few moments that the son-of-a-guar had been right. Then someone else spoke. I'll never forget his voice. Not until the day I die, if that day ever comes, and maybe not even then. His words were faint, but clear, and he had an unmistakably commanding tone.

"My sons… they're dead, aren't they?" He asked.

With what _I've _been through, I've learned to heed first impressions. It's saved me from getting my throat slit on more than one occasion. So I tried to place this man before I even saw him. He wasn't a guard, no. And what prisoner sounded like _that?_

"We don't know that, Sire. The messenger only said they were attacked."

"No, they're dead. I know it." He sounded weary and resigned. I got to my feet, curiosity getting the better of me, in time to see four shadows sliding across the floor outside my cell.

"My job right now is to get you to safety," the woman said as she and the others came into view. Three wore armor, blocking my view of the last man. She stopped cold when she looked into my cell. "What's this prisoner doing here? This cell is supposed to be off-limits."

One of her armored companions, obviously flustered, said hastily, "Usual mix-up with the watch. I-"

"Never mind," she snapped. "Get that gate open." She looked past the bars at me and her eyes flashed angrily. "Stand back, prisoner. We won't hesitate to kill you if you get in our way."

I slid into the shadows and stayed against the back wall as they the door. I watched, silent but wary, as they filtered into the cell. The first strode across the room to where I stood, planted himself in front of me so that I couldn't pass, and ordered me to stay put. The woman went next, leading an elderly man in purple robes and saying, "Let's go. We're not out of this yet."

The old man stopped, despite the woman's protesting, to peer at me through the gloom. There was interest, recognition even, in his blue eyes.

"You," he said. "I've seen you. Let me see your face."

A strange sort of tingle crawled up my spine. It was the kind of feeling you get when you know _something's_ about to happen. Like when your hair stands on end before lightning strikes. Against my better judgment, I stepped out of the shadows.

"You are the one from my dreams…" He looked away, weary acceptance on his face. "Then the stars were right, and this is the day. Gods give me strength."

"What's going on?" I asked. Not necessarily to him, but to anyone. Somehow I was not just a witness to the whole mess, but a _part_ of it.

He answered me at once. "Assassins attacked my sons, and I'm next. My Blades are leading me out of the city along a secret escape route. By chance, the entrance to that escape route leads through your cell." I don't know why he trusted me. He _shouldn't _have trusted me. But he knew something, I'm sure of it. Or he'd seen something.

"Who are you?"

I heard an angry hiss from one of the three guards. The Blades. He ignored them.

"I am your Emperor, Uriel Septim. By the grace of the gods, I serve Tamriel as her ruler. You are a citizen of Tamriel, and you too shall serve her in your own way."

It was then I knew I was in over my head.

I made some kind of odd spasm which might have been a bow as I tried to figure it all out. When I finally found my voice, I asked him, "Why am in here?"

"Perhaps the gods have placed you here so that we may meet. As for what you have done… it does not matter. That is not what you will be remembered for."

It was all far, far too much for me. Look, I'm from a town whose population mostly comprised of the legionnaires stationed in the fort. I've been to cities, too. I lived in Morrowind's capitol for two years! But I wasn't someone who'd lived on a grand scale. So when _the Emperor_ started talking to me about the fate of the Empire…

"What should I do?"

"You will find your own path. Take care… there will be blood and death before the end."

Well, that was _not_ something I wanted to hear.

"Please, Sire. We must keep moving," the woman (Renault, if I remember right) said desperately. She pushed something on the cell's far wall and a panel slid away with a flurry of dust and a low grinding sound.

"Better not close this one," she called back as she walked through the doorway. "There's no way to open it from the other side."

The others, including the Emperor, followed her into the tunnel. The last Blade through, a Redguard, chuckled lightly and told me, "Looks like this is your lucky day. Just stay out of our way."

After that, I found myself in a predicament. I could have stayed and listened to that Dunmeri fool blather some more. I should have stayed; it would have been easier.

But, see, I have two rules in life: never oppose the Nine, and never oppose the Empire. Da always said the Emperor _is_ the Empire. His sons were dead, which made him the last member of the Septim line. Habasi always said, in her special Khajiiti way, that everything I did smelled too much of legionnaire loyalty. Devoted to a fault. I blame Da for that. He was in the Legion.

That's why I followed them.

* * *

Their path wound down through a short tunnel and into a maze of dark, catacomb-like rooms. I stayed a few paces behind. While they noticed me and didn't seem to care too much, I didn't really want to test them.

When they rounded the next corner, I saw them suddenly draw their swords. Renault shouted at me, "Protect the Emperor!" How she expected me to do that, when I clearly had no weapons, is still beyond me. The Emperor, on the other hand, had drawn a silvered sword. He stood behind a pillar, out of sight of the threat. He looked at me.

"Protect yourself," he said.

I watched with him from behind the pillar as the Blades fought a gang of men garbed in black and red armor. Renault fell during the skirmish, her body collapsing onto a short set of stairs. When the assassins were dead, the Emperor and I crept out from behind the pillar.

"Are you all right, Sire?" Baurus asked, rushing past me. "We're clear for now."

While they were preoccupied, I examined the attackers' bodies. It puzzled me: hadn't they been wearing armor before? All of them were wearing identical, hooded red robes.

"Captain Renault?"

"She's dead. I'm sorry, Sire, but we have to keep moving."

"How could they be waiting for us here?" The other Blade, Glenroy, snapped to no one in particular. He was getting edgier by the minute, his hand clamped firmly around the hilt of his sword.

"Don't know. But it's too late to go back now. Don't worry, Sire, we will get you out of here."

"They won't be the first to underestimate the Blades." Glenroy turned and opened the gate ahead. "I'll take point. Let's move."

The Emperor followed him, closely tailed by Baurus. The Blade turned to me and said firmly, "You stay here, prisoner. Don't try to follow us." The gate was locked behind him.

I didn't even have time to consider what to do, because a bit of loose wall came crumbling down and several skeevers leapt out at me. I scrambled back and grabbed Renault's sword. It's not like _she_ needed it anymore. I slashed at the filthy things and only managed to get a few scrapes in the process. Once they were all dead, I looked with interest at the hole they had come through. A tunnel lay behind it. A tunnel meant a way out. I didn't even hesitate as I ran through.

* * *

I wound up in a twisting maze of damp tunnels filled with skeevers and goblins. Thank the Nine, I'd found a bow someone had lost soon after I'd stumbled in there. Swords are all well and good for fighters. But if you give me a bow they won't stand a chance. I also got my hands on a set of old leather armor. It was probably made for a man originally, but it fit me well enough. The hood, which was a plus, made me wonder if it had belonged to a ranger originally. I thought it would be the perfect disguise if I ever made it out.

The tunnels finally gave out and I came out in those catacombs again. Hearing voices ahead, I crept along and stayed close to the wall. Soon I came to a ledge. Below I could see the Emperor and the two remaining Blades.

"What makes you think help will get here before more of those bastards?" I heard Baurus ask angrily. "We need to get the Emperor out of here."

I slid down from my perch on the ledge to follow them. Stay behind, they said. I wasn't going back if they paid me. Personally, I was just going to follow them out. I was already making plans. My first thought was to get out of the province. Skyrim was my first pick. Everyone thought I was a Nord anyway. I hated the cold, though.

My plans quickly changed.

"Here they come again!"

I spun wildly to see more assassins leap out of a side passage. I slashed at one that managed to sprint past Baurus and Glenroy's defenses. He fell before he could take another step towards the Emperor.

Glenroy finally noticed me. "Damn it, it's that prisoner again! Kill her; she might be working with the assassins." I backed away and he advanced, bloodstained sword raised to strike me down.

"No, she is not one of them. She can help us. She _must_ help us."

"As you wish, Sire," Glenroy said bitterly. He sheathed his sword and gave me a glare. I barely had time to glare back before the Emperor pulled me aside.

"They cannot understand why I trust you. They've not seen what I've seen. How can I explain?" I certainly didn't know. "Listen. You know the Nine? How they guide our fates with an invisible hand?"

I knew. Ma was devoted to them, and so I was devoted to them, for better or worse. It wasn't my place to question them.

"The Nine guide and protect us," I murmured.

"I've served the Nine all my days, and I chart my course by the cycles of the heavens. The skies are marked with numberless sparks, each a fire, and every one a sign. I know these stars well, and I wonder… which sign marked your birth?"

I was born in the dead of winter, in the month of Morning Star. "I was born under the sign of the Ritual." The Mage's Eye, we called it. Ma thought it meant I would follow her path and be a healer. Da never wanted me to be a mage. It was all for the best, though. I never liked magic much.

"The signs I read show the end of my path. My death, a necessary end, will come when it will come."

"What about me?"

"Your stars are not mine. Today the Ritual shall speed you on your star-patterned path."

In a hushed voice, and almost afraid to say it, I asked, "Aren't you afraid to die?"

Death. Death was something I was terrified of.

"No trophies of my triumphs precede me. But I have lived well, and my ghost shall rest easy. Men are but flesh and blood. They know their doom, but not the hour. In this I am blessed to see the hour of my death… to face my apportioned fate, then fall."

"Can you see my fate?"

"My dreams grant me no opinion of success. Their compass ventures not beyond the doors of death. But in your face, I behold the sun's companion. The dawn of Akatosh's bright glory may banish the coming darkness. With such hope, and with the promise of your aid, my heart must be satisfied."

"So, where are we going?"

"I go to my grave. A tongue shriller than all the music calls me. You shall follow me yet for a while, then we must part."

He turned and continued on. I tried to follow, but was stopped by Baurus.

"You may as well make yourself useful. Here, carry this torch and stick close."

I pushed the torch away. "If you want me to be useful, that won't help. I'll stick to the shadows, thanks."

The Redguard blinked before giving me a smirk and nodded his head. "Fine. Just let us do our jobs and you'll be all right."

We went on, through more of those winding, eerie passages. More assassins attacked, but again we prevailed. I soon started to get tired of it. Then, for a few minutes, it was quiet.

"I don't like this," Glenroy said. "Let me take a look."

He scouted ahead while the three of us hung back, waiting.

"Looks clear."

As we pushed on, he mentioned something about the sewers. I wasn't really paying attention to him; I was too busy watching for more assassins. He led us to a gate. For an instant, he froze, then he drew his sword.

"Damn it! The gate is barred from the other side. A trap!"

Baurus and I both readied our weapons.

"What about that side passage back there?"

"Worth a try. Let's go!"

I followed them in. My heart sunk as I looked around. It was a dead end. We _were_ trapped.

"What's your call?" Baurus asked, noticing what I did.

"They're behind us! Wait here, sire."

Baurus told me before he rushed from the room, "Wait here with the Emperor. Guard him with your life."

Outside I could hear the loud sound of metal clashing against metal. Then a cry of pain. Glenroy. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned, eyes wild with fear.

"I can go no further." The Emperor's voice was rushed and desperate. "You alone must stand against the Prince of Destruction and his mortal servants. He must not have the Amulet of Kings!" He unclasped the blood-red pendant that hung around his neck and held it out to me. "Take the Amulet."

I couldn't. "No, you can't trust me with this! You don't know what I've done!" I cried.

He forced it into my hands, saying, "There is no time. Give it to Jauffre. He alone knows where to find my last son."

"Sire, you can't-"

"Find him, and close shut the jaws of Oblivion."

A doorway materialized behind the Emperor. Before I could move, before I could cry a warning, an assassin had sprung from the shadows and cut him down. Then he turned on me, his eyes fixed on the Amulet. I heard a low chuckle emanate from behind his mask.

"Stranger, you chose a bad day to take up with the cause of the Septims," he said. Then he sent his mace crashing towards me.


	2. Chapter 2: Amulet

**Disclaimer: I own Mara Fides. Everything else belongs to Bethesda**

* * *

_"Stranger, you chose a bad day to take up with the cause of the Septims." He said. Then he sent his mace crashing towards me._

I backed up, barely getting my sword up in time to block his strike. He was stronger than me. If he'd had the chance, I'd have been dead. But he was too slow. As he raised his mace to strike again, I slashed his chest open with a single swipe. I gasped as steaming blood splattered down my front. The man crumpled to the ground. Dead.

I stood there, shaking all over, not sure whether or not my knees would hold out, or whether I'd collapse from the strain. Heavy footsteps crashed over the stones of the floor and echoed up into the high ceilings as Baurus stumbled in. His armor was covered in blood, and I wasn't sure how much of it was his. His dark eyes swung wildly from me, to the dead assassin, to the Emperor's body. He sunk to his knees, his armor letting out a metallic _clank _as it made contact with the floor.

"No… Talos save us…" He said. I saw him reach out to the old man before his gauntlet clenched into an angry fist.

"Sir?" I asked quietly.

"We've failed. _I've _failed… The Blades are sworn to protect the Emperor, and now he and all his heirs are dead…" Then he stiffened. "The Amulet, where's the Amulet of Kings?" He jumped to his feet, obviously panicked. "It's not on the Emperor's body."

For the first time, I remembered the pendant I held in my hands. I looked at it, staring into the cut surface of the blood-red jewel. "The Emperor, he… he gave it to _me_." I held it out, showing it to the shocked Blade.

"Strange," he murmured. "He saw something in you. Trusted you."

"I wish I knew why…" I said, mostly to myself. I was a prisoner that just _happened _to be in his path, and suddenly he trusts me with the fate of the Empire? Why? I was nothing more than a no good thief. Not even that anymore. I was no one.

"They say it's the Dragon Blood that flows through the veins of every Septim. They see more than lesser men. The Amulet of Kings is a sacred symbol of the Empire. Most people think of the Red Dragon Crown, but that's just jewelry. The Amulet has power. Only a true heir of the Blood can wear it, they say. He must have given it to you for a reason. Did he say why?"

I shook my head, trying to remember what the Emperor had told me. "He said I was supposed to take it to someone named Jauffre. I think."

"Jauffre? He said that? Why?"

"Because… because there's another heir."

Baurus shrugged. "Nothing I ever heard about. But Jauffre would be the one to know. He's the Grandmaster of my Order… although you may not think so to meet him. He lives quietly as a monk at Weynon Priory, near the city of Chorrol."

"How do I get there?"

"First you need to get out of here. Through that door must be the entrance to the sewers, past the locked gate. That's where we were heading. It's a secret way out of the city. Or it was _supposed_ to be secret," he added ruefully. "Here. You'll need this key for the last door into the sewers."

"The sewers?" I asked, peering past him at the dark hole in the wall.

"There are rats and goblins down there… but from what I've seen of you, you're an experienced forester. Am I right?"

I looked at him askance. "What makes you say that?"

"The way you fight. You've got some Legion training."

I couldn't help the bitter chuckle that escaped me. "Yes, I was trained by someone in the Legion. But that was a _long _time ago. I'm not one of them."

"Well, if anyone can handle it, I'd say it's you."

I shook my head. The sooner all of that was over with, the better, I told myself.

"After the sewers, then what?"

"You must get the Amulet to Jauffre. Take no chances, but proceed to Weynon Priory immediately. Got it?"

I stuffed the Amulet in my pocket and took the key. "Got it."

"Good. The Emperor's trust was well-placed."

I wasn't so sure about that. "And what about you? What will you do?"

"I'll stay here to guard the Emperor's body and make sure no one follows you. You'd better get moving. May Talos guide you."

I nodded and started to the door. I'd barely taken two steps when I stopped and turned back. Unstrapping the sword from my hip, I handed it to Baurus. "Here, this was Renault's. I thought you'd want to have it back."

He took it from me. "Thanks. I'll see that it is given a place of honor in the halls of the Blades."

I turned away from the mourning Blade and climbed through the hole in the wall to face whatever lay beyond.

* * *

For some time, I was worried that the sewers were never going to end. They just seemed to keep going; endless, winding tunnels full of goblins and rats. Tantalizing glimpses of sky were visible out of grates in the ceiling high above my head. But then I saw a round, low-ceilinged tunnel ahead. At its end was a barred gate, and past that… light. Sunlight. I ran forward, my boots slapping over the wet stone ground. I grabbed the rusted handle, wrenched it back, pulled the gate open, and stumbled out.

I blinked in the suddenly bright light as I stepped out of the tunnel. It was built into the side of a hill overlooking a lake. Early evening sunlight cast long shadows over the grass and the surface of the water. A small blue butterfly flitted past my nose. Across the water I could see the gleaming marble arches of a ruin.

I walked down to the lake's edge. Kneeling on the bank, I splashed some water on my face to clear off some of the dirt and blood. Then I rinsed out my hair. After wringing it out, I tied it all back in a ponytail again before it into my hood. Best to keep up the ranger façade.

Night was falling fast, and I wanted to be under cover as quickly as possible. The city was my best bet, so I tromped up the hill toward the gate. I hadn't even made it into the city when I was arrested, so I had no idea where I was going. By the time I reached the gate, the sun had set below the city's high walls. The sky high above me was a deep, burning orange and the cobbled road was bathed in deep blue shadows. The guard that let me in looked at me suspiciously, so I took a page from my old days and gave him my best sheepish smile. Best play to the fact that I was young, inexperienced, and in a foreign place.

As I walked through, I stopped. "Sorry to bother you, but I need to get someplace, and I don't…"

"Not from around here?" He asked. I shook my head. "What are you looking for?"

"Somewhere to sleep for the night. I'm off in the morning."

"Well, the closest place is the Merchant's Inn. It's just down the street and to the left."

Guards always made me a little skittish, even after several years out of the business. The ones in Cyrodiil were significantly friendlier than the ones in Morrowind, at least. So I was friendlier back. "Thank you so much."

He nodded and went back to his post. "Stay safe, citizen. These are dark times."

I felt the Amulet, heavy in my pocket.

"_Don't I know it…_" I murmured as I walked away.

True to his word, I found the Merchant's Inn exactly where he said it would be. I walked up the front steps and into the inn, feeling more than a little out of place in my musty armor. Luckily, it was nearly empty. The man behind the counter gave me a quizzical look as I walked up, but otherwise said nothing.

"How much for a bed for the night?" I asked.

"Twenty drakes."

I nodded and pulled the coins out of my pocket. Not cheap by any standard, but it could have been worse. All I could hope was for some kind of compensation after I delivered the Amulet.

The man took the gold I handed to him and gave me a key in return, saying, "It's up the stairs there, first door on your left. Sleep well."

I followed his instructions, climbing the stairs at the back of the inn and going through the door to my room. It was bigger than most I'd seen in Morrowind, certainly bigger than the one's _I'd _lived in, but I expected that from this city. I stripped out of my armor and dumped my weapons in the chair, keeping my knife with me. Then, sitting down on the bed, I pulled out the amulet and studied it. To be honest, it was a gaudy thing. The red diamond set into the gold was as long as my palm. Eight smaller stones in various colors surrounded the larger gem. I frowned and turned it over in my hands. What was so special about _this_ particular amulet that made it so powerful? I considered putting it around my neck, just to see what would happen, but thought better of it.

Still holding it tightly, I snuffed out the candle and went to sleep.

* * *

It took me nearly a week to reach Weynon Priory. The roads took me around the crumbling ruins of ancient forts and through dense woods. The trees made my skin crawl uncomfortably. There wasn't anything like this in Morrowind. Everything down there was hushed and closed, save for the echoes of birdsong. At night, I could hear the sound of wolves howling in the distance. I didn't like it at all, and was grateful when I finally saw the Priory.

A large house with steepled roofs dominated the Priory, with a small chapel to the side and a well in front. I walked around it, brushing my fingertips over the stone, and went to the front door. After knocking twice, I stepped back and waited. It wasn't long before a man in black robes opened the door and gave me a polite smile.

"Welcome to Weynon Priory," he said, "a monastic retreat dedicated to Talos and the Nine Divines. I'm Prior Maborel, head of our community, and responsible for all secular and religious affairs. How may I help you?"

"I need to speak to Jauffre. Please."

"You'll most likely find him in the library." He let me pass and pointed up a flight of stairs. "It's up there."

"Thank you."

I went upstairs, as indicated. At the far end, reading behind a desk, was an old man in plain brown robes. He looked up as I approached and raised one gray brow.

"Brother Jauffre?"

"Yes, I am Brother Jauffre. What do you want?"

"The Emperor sent me to find you."

"Emperor Uriel?" He set down his book. "Do you know something about his death?"

I lowered my eyes. "Yes. I was there when he died."

"You'd better explain yourself. _Now._"

"He gave me the Amulet of Kings."

"You brought me the Amulet of Kings? This cannot be. Let me see it." I pulled it out of my pocket and handed it to him. He took it, cradling the pendant in his hands, a stunned look on his face. "By the Nine, this _is _the Amulet of Kings!" He looked up at me. "Who are you? How did you get this? What do you know of the Emperor's death?"

"My name is Mara Fides, Father, and I'm no one really. I crossed the Emperor's path soon before he was killed. Before he died, he gave the Amulet to me and said that I should take it to you. And he said…" I wracked my brains, trying to remember the exact words. "… He said, 'find him, and close shut the jaws of Oblivion'."

Jauffre sighed and set the Amulet on the desk. "As unlikely as your story sounds, I believe you. Only the strange destiny of Uriel Septim could have brought you to me carrying the Amulet of Kings."

"He mentioned something about the 'Prince of Destruction'… who is that, exactly?"

"The Prince of Destruction he referred to is none other than Mehrunes Dagon, one of the lords of the demonic world of Oblivion. The Emperor's words-'Close shut the Jaws of Oblivion'- certainly suggest that he perceived some threat from Oblivion. But all the scholars agree that the mortal world is protected from the daedra of Oblivion by magical barriers."

"Then how can the daedra threaten us?"

"I'm not sure. Only the Emperors truly understand the meaning behind the rituals of coronation. The Amulet of Kings is ancient; Saint Alessia herself received it from the gods. It is a holy relic of great power. When an Emperor is crowned, he uses the Amulet to light the Dragonfires at the Temple of the One in the Imperial City. With the Emperor dead and no new heir crowned, the Dragonfires will be dark for the first time in centuries. It may be that the Dragonfires protected us from a threat that only the Emperor was aware of."

"There's one more thing," I said hesitantly. "The Emperor asked me to find his son."

Jauffre set down the Amulet and clasped his hands on top of the desk. "I am one of the few who know of his existence. Many years ago, I served as captain of Uriel's bodyguards, the Blades. One night, Uriel called me into his private chambers. A baby boy was sleeping in a basket. Uriel told me to deliver him somewhere safe. He never told me anything else about the baby, but I knew it was his son. From time to time he would ask about the child's progress. Now, it seems that this illegitimate son is the heir to the Septim Throne… if he yet lives."

I sighed, knowing I wasn't out of this just yet.

"Where can I find him?"

"His name is Martin. He serves Akatosh in the Chapel in the city of Kvatch, south of here. You must go to Kvatch and find him at once. If the enemy is aware of his existence, as seems likely, he is in terrible danger. And, please, let me know if there's anything you need. My resources here are limited, but I will help in any way I can."

"Do you have any supplies I can take?"

"Yes. I keep a few things here in my chest to resupply traveling Blades." He got up and went over to the chest. I heard the _click_ of a lock, and he pulled open the lid. "Help yourself to whatever you need."

I knelt down and examined the contents. There was some leather armor that looked like it was in much better shape than the ratty set I wore, a new bow, a quiver of steel-tipped arrows, and a couple of potions that I recognized as medicinal from their smell. Pulling them all out, I found a place to change into my new gear. Jauffre was kind enough to take my old gear before I descended the stairs towards the door of the house.


	3. Chapter 3: Kvatch

**Disclaimer: I do not own Oblivion or any of these characters except for Mara Fides.**

* * *

I arrived in Kvatch just as the sun was setting. From the road I could see the stone walls of the city at the top of the hill. I can't say just how relieved I was to finally be there. More woods, more bandits, I was sick of it all. My relief was, however, short-lived. As I took the road up the hill, an Altmer came pelting down towards me, screaming for me to run.

"Hold on a moment." I said, trying to calm him down enough to figure out what happened. I wasn't too worried. High elves are always on about something. "Run? From what?"

He slid to a halt and looked at me like I was mad. "Gods' blood, you don't know, do you? Daedra overran Kvatch last night! There were glowing portals outside the walls! Gates to Oblivion itself."

I wasn't worried before, but I was after _that_. A strange numb feeling crept through my bones and I only remember snatches of what he said.

"There was a huge creature… something out of a nightmare… came right over the walls… blasting fire. They swarmed around it… killing…"

I told myself that there might still have been a chance. There was a chance that this Martin I'd been sent to find had made it out. After all, this mer obviously had.

"Come on, the whole city _can't_ have been destroyed!"

"Go and see for yourself! Kvatch is a smoking ruin! We're all that's left, do you understand me? Everyone else is _dead!_"

"So how did you escape?" I snapped.

"It was Savlian Matius. Some of the other guards helped us to escape… cut their way out, right through the city gates. Savlian says they can hold the road. No… no, I don't believe him. If you'd seen it, you'd know… I'm getting out of here before it's too late!" I recall letting out a yelp as he grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me. "They'll be here any minute, I'm telling you. Run while you can!"

I instinctively pulled myself out of his grip. Before I could ask whether Martin had gotten out as well, he had streaked off down the road. Damned excitable High elves, I swear they're all like that.

Further up the road was a small camp of refugees. They all huddled around the sparse campfires, talking to each other in low voices or asking about loved ones. A woman was crying. I heard one man ask bitterly, "How could the Nine let this happen? Are they angry with us?"

They all ignored me as I walked through the camp. What was one more woman with dirty clothes and scratches on her face? There were so few of them, and I didn't see anyone even remotely resembling a priest among them. There was a woman standing away from the others. She stared up the cliff towards where the city was with sad eyes. I hurried over to her. As I approached, she looked at me with surprise.

"Martin. Is Martin here? Where is he?" I asked her.

"If you mean the priest," she said slowly, "I don't think he made it out of the city. Very few of us did. But Savlian Matius might know more. He's in charge of the city guards that are defending the camp."

I thanked her and took off up the hill. As I approached the city, I was surprised to see the sky grow stormy. The clouds turned red, and beyond them I could see bright streaks that boiled like Ashland lava. Lightning flashed overhead. When I reached the top I was greeted with a series of spiked barriers facing the city, defending the road I'd just climbed. Past them I saw it: the Gate to Oblivion.

How can I describe it? I could feel the heat radiating from it even from where I stood. Twin black spikes rose from the earth, the air between them on fire. Sometimes I could see Kvatch's ruined gate through it… and sometimes I could see right into Oblivion itself.

When my shock wore off, I rushed past the barriers to help the group of men I saw fighting some of the Daedra that emerged. In a few minutes, all of the Daedra were dead and I was being dragged back towards the barriers.

"Stay back, civilian!" The man who'd pulled me back, Matius, said. "This is no place for you. Get back to the encampment at once."

I wrestled my way out of his grip and snapped, "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm not one of your refugees. What happened here?"

"We lost the damned city, that's what happened! It was too much, too fast. We were overwhelmed. Couldn't even get everyone out. There are people still trapped in there. Some made it into the chapel, but others were just… run down in the streets. And now we can't even get back into the city to help them with that damned Oblivion Gate blocking the way."

"Do you know where Martin is?"

"The priest? Last I saw him, he was leading a group towards the Chapel of Akatosh. If he's lucky, he's trapped in there with the rest of them, at least safe for the moment. If he's not…"

I had gone all that way, and for what? Nothing? The Daedra attacked because Martin was there, I was sure of it. There was no way I was going to sit back and do nothing while he was trapped in there with those beasts. I looked back at the Gate. There was a gap between it and the city wall. It was my only chance. I dodged Matius's attempts to stop me and charged through the clearing. He and his men tried to follow, but were held up by another round of daedra. I slipped by, unnoticed, into the smoking ruins of Kvatch.

When I climbed over what used to be the city gate, I knew I was in over my head. Rubble and corpses filled the streets and everything burned. The only thing still mostly intact was the chapel. But between it and me were at least a dozen daedra.

Muttering a prayer, I ran. Choking on smoke and the smell of burning flesh, I dashed madly across the square. The daedra swarmed towards me, slashing at me with claws, and hurling balls of flame. I ducked and wove, barely dodging the attacks. At the chapel doors I pounded frantically, screaming pleas for entry. It was unbarred and I was pulled in with only moments to spare.

A woman helped me in, supporting me as I tried desperately to breathe. As I slowly regained control over myself, she asked, "What's it like out there? We were beginning to fear we were the only survivors."

I shook my head, "Matius still has the road. There are refugees, down the hill. Not many. But they'll be all right for now. Is Martin still here? I mean…"

"Brother Martin? Yes, he's right over there." She nodded towards the altar. "He led the group here during the confusion of the attack. We owe him our lives."

She let me go and I pulled down my hood. The inside of the chapel looked like the refugee camp down the hill. A small group of haggard looking people whispered quietly to each other. A few sat in the pews, staring at the ceiling with tear filled eyes. A blonde woman was speaking to someone in the shadows beside the altar. A man, by the sound of the voice. When she shuffled aside after a few moments, I finally caught a glimpse of him. His eyes caught on me a heartbeat later.

To be honest, I don't know what I was expecting. Probably not _him_.

My first impression of Martin Septim was that he looked just like his father. They both had the same round jaw, hooked nose… and those eyes, those blue eyes that see _everything_. There was no way I could deny it was him.

My second impression was that he was a worrier. I could see it in the lines on his face, the few streaks of gray in his brown hair. I couldn't tell his exact age, but he certainly looked older than he actually was.

Before I could say anything, he asked in a harried voice, "Have you brought help? We've been trapped here since the Daedra overran the city."

Help, he'd asked. At that point 'help' was still outside the city. But my job wasn't to help; my job was to get him, and _only_ him, out of there in one piece. I wondered how I was going to do it. He didn't look like he'd stand a chance in a fight. He was a priest, after all.

"You need to come with me, you're in danger."

He scowled, deepening the lines on his face. "Of course I'm in danger. But I'm needed here. I can't leave. I assume you didn't risk your own life to tell me something I already know. Who are you and what do you want?"

"You _are_ Martin, right? The priest?" I asked, growing desperate. It was him, it had to be him. But I didn't like the thought of that man being the sole heir to the Empire. My chances were getting slimmer by the minute.

"Yes, I'm a priest. Do you need a priest? I don't think I'll be much help to you. I'm having trouble understanding the gods right now." He looked away. "If this is all part of a divine plan, I'm not sure I want anything to do with it." He turned, his shoulders hunching slightly as if to protect himself, and walked into the shadows at the back of the chapel. My jaw nearly dropped.

And Habasi called _me_ bitter.

"Look, plan or not, we need your help." I said, following him. He turned back to face me as I caught up to him again, his expression one of skepticism.

"If you came to me for help, you're more of a fool than you look." Lowering his voice to an almost anguished whisper, he told me, "Look around, what good is a priest?"

My face flushed with anger. He was what I came all that way for? Waded through the throngs of daedra for? A bitter, angry, world-weary priest who showed no signs, none at all, of cooperating?

"_You are Uriel Septim's _son." I snapped.

His eyebrows shot up. "Emperor Uriel Septim? You think the Emperor is my father? No, you must have the wrong man. I am a priest of Akatosh. My father was a farmer…"

"The Daedra came here for _you_."

Gods forgive me, but I felt a kind of pride when I saw him recoil. For all his denial, I could still see it in his eyes: that shadowy seed of doubt.

"An entire city destroyed to get at _me?_ Why? Because I'm the Emperor's son?"

"Why would I lie to you?"

"I don't know. It's strange… I think you might be telling the truth. What does this mean? What do you want from me?"

Finally I was getting somewhere. "Come with me to Weynon Priory. Jauffre will explain. He knows more than I do. Please, there isn't time…"

"No. I'm sorry, but even if what you say is true I won't abandon these people to their fate. I'll go with you when we can all leave here together."

"Didn't you hear me? The Daedra can only be kept out for so long. I swear I'm not lying to you."

"It isn't that I don't believe you. But I won't go until I know everyone can leave here safely. We've been through too much together already to abandon them."

I kept protesting, trying to get him to see reason, but he still refused. Eventually I stormed back through the chapel, pulling my hood back up and drawing my sword, muttering about the bleeding-hearted fetcher the whole way. I went back through the Daedra again and out of Kvatch. Any that crossed me probably wished he'd never set foot outside of Oblivion.

When I finally made it out of the city, I walked back towards the barricades. Savlian, when he caught sight of me, looked livid.

"I thought I told you to go back down with the others!" He roared at me.

After what happened in the chapel, I was _not_ in the mood to play around anymore. I had a job to do. So I shouted back, just as angry, "I've had enough of this! What can I do to get those people out of there before the daedra wipe them all out?"

"You want to help? You're kidding, right?" I glared at him, and he backed off. "If you're serious, maybe I can put you to use. It'll likely mean your death though. Are you sure?"

"Would I still be here if I wasn't?"

"While that infernal Gate still stands, I don't dare leave the camp undefended. Are you willing to try and close it?"

He was asking me to close the Gate, the Gate that went straight into the unholy realms of Oblivion and gods-know-what-else. I was going to refuse. I wasn't a fighter! But the thought hit me that, if there were no more Gate, the path out would be clear. Martin wouldn't have to fight. And, if needed, I could knock him out and drag him along.

"I'll do it."

"Good." He looked a little relieved, probably because he was sending someone unimportant on the suicide mission. "I don't know how to close this Gate, but it must be possible, because the enemy closed the ones opened during the initial attack. You can see the marks on the ground where they were, with the Great Gate right in the middle. I sent men into the Gate, to see if they could find a way to shut it. They haven't come back. If you can get in there, find out what happened to them. If they're alive, help them finish the job. If not, see what you can do on your own. The best I can say is good luck. If you make it back alive, we'll be waiting for you."

When I walked out to the Gate, I walked alone. Matius and his men stayed back in relative safety behind the barriers. I didn't look back. I was sure that, if I did, I'd lose my nerve. Instead I charged straight at it, picking up speed as I crossed the distance. Then I could feel its blazing heat upon me as I ran headlong into it. The fires engulfed me. I closed my eyes…

… Only to open them in the most gods-forsaken place I ever laid eyes on. Lava bubbled in rivers all around. The ground, what little there was, was cracked and drier than old bones. Starved, rust-red plants reached hungrily towards me. In the distance was a cluster of imposing black towers.

I only had moments to adjust before I saw something moving ahead. Dropping into a crouch, I readied an arrow on my bowstring.

A man was backed against the lava, barely fending off a swarm of Daedra. He was bleeding, and even from where I was I could see burns on his arms. I shot one of the creatures that was getting a little too far into his defenses. Another two were dispatched this way. One spotted me and raced over, claws poised to attack. I tore its throat open with a dagger. The few who remained fled. Once they were long gone, I hurried over to the man. Now that I was closer, I could see the wolf crest of Kvatch on his torn tunic.

He leaned heavily against the wall, his sword arm slack. As I approached, he squinted at me and let out a relieved sigh.

"Thank the Nine," he gasped. "I never thought I'd see another friendly face. The others… taken… they were taken to the tower!"

"It's all right. What's going on?"

"Captain Matius sent us in to try and close the gate. We were ambushed, trapped, and picked off. I managed to escape, but the others are strewn across that bridge. They took Menien off to the big tower. You've got to save him! I'm getting out of here."

"Fine. Captain Matius needs your help."

"The Captain is still holding the barricade?" He asked, shocked. "I figured I was the last one left alive. All right. I'll try to get out of here and let the captain know what's going on."

"Go, and Gods be with you."

I watched him run back through the Gate. Then I turned and looked up at the tower. Lightning crackled behind it. I squared my shoulders and marched towards it. There was no turning back now.

* * *

Thunder rumbled as I stepped through the door. My path had led me from the lava fields up through a series of interconnected towers and past hordes of daedra. I'd snuck by most of them without confrontation. There were far too many of them, and I didn't really want to die. Finally, I'd made it to the top. A rocky gray tunnel, better lit than the rest of the tower had been, wound up and out of sight. Nocking another arrow and keeping close to the wall, I continued on.

The tunnel ended with a doorway leading into a large chamber. Fire roared up in a jet through a massive hole in the floor towards the open sky. The sound coming from it was nearly deafening. I proceeded cautiously, on the lookout for more daedra. Once I was inside, I could see a platform high above me, with a pair of spiky red stairs leading up to it. I climbed them slowly, leaning lightly against the wall to keep my balance. The steps were slick and had large gaps between them, and I didn't like the thought of falling through them. Halfway up, a robed daedra caught sight of me. Roaring, he rushed down. A spell flared to life in his open palm. I put two arrows in his throat before he could finish casting. He fell from the stairs and dropped out of sight.

At the top, the noise intensified and was accompanied by a strange rushing, humming, grinding sound. I cringed as the sound pounded in my ears. My head spun. But I still pushed forward. I could see my target: a black, pulsating orb hovering over the fiery jet. Stumbling slightly, I reached the edge of the platform and snatched it out of the air. It was hot to the touch at first, but quickly cooled. Orange streaked across its slick black surface.

As I stood there, holding the thing, I wasn't quite sure what to do. Was I supposed to go back through the Gate before it closed? How long would that take? I only had a moment to think, because white fire suddenly shot out from where the Stone had been a second earlier. The whole room bucked violently, and I clutched the stone to my chest to keep from dropping it. Fire engulfed everything before rushing over me. I screamed and covered my face. Then everything faded to white.

* * *

**A/N: Now I'm starting to get into the good stuff. There's lots more of Martin in the next chapter. Please review :)**


	4. Chapter 4: Martin

**Disclaimer: I only own Mara Fides. Everything else belongs to Bethesda.**

* * *

When my vision cleared, I found myself in the middle of the remains of the Gate. Broken bits of it lay all around as if rent by an explosion. I clutched the Stone to my chest, stunned.

As Matius and his men rushed to meet me, he shouted, "You closed the Gate? I knew you could do it!" Not likely, but he looked absolutely ecstatic all the same. He clapped me on the back when he reached me and I winced. He didn't notice.

"This is our chance to launch a counterattack! I need you to come with us. You've got far more combat experience than these men."

"Sir," I said wearily, "I'm sure every one of them has more experience than me. But I'll come just the same."

He grinned widely before drawing his sword and roaring, "FOR KVATCH!" As one, they ran headlong at the city gate before leaping over it and into the smoke. I followed, bow at the ready.

Inside the city, the daedra swarmed at us in a kind of desperate final stand. Blades hacked left and right as the men shouted out battle cries. I shot several daedra down. As we cut our way through, I saw one of Matius's men fall to one of the reptilian kind. I buried an arrow in its eye a moment later, but I was still too late. The man was, thank Talos, our only casualty.

When we were done finishing off the last of the creatures, Matius let out an elated cry. "We wiped the bastards out! It's safe to pull those people out of the chapel. Let's get in there and make sure they're all right."

Inside, Matius immediately went to the woman who'd helped me when I first stumbled in there.

"Report, soldier." He said.

"Sir, we're all that's left," she replied in a rueful voice. "Berich Inian, myself, and these civilians."

"That's it? There's no one else?"

"There were others, sir. But they refused to stay put. We tried to convince them it was dangerous, but they left anyway. I guess they didn't make it."

"Very well. The area outside the chapel has been cleared and these people need to be taken to safety. Escort them to the camp south of here at once."

She had protested, saying something about wanting to fight. I don't really know what was said after that; I'd stopped listening and was looking around for Martin. I couldn't find him. My heart dropped. Surely, he hadn't gone out…

"Civilians! It's time to go. Let's move out!" The woman shouted, ending my search. After a short scramble while everyone grabbed their things, we left the chapel. Matius and his men stayed behind to make plans. I followed the crowd and was walking down the steps, trying to figure out _what_ I was supposed to do, when I felt a hand on my shoulder. Turning, I saw it was Martin.

"I wondered if you'd come back," he told me with a wry smile. "I admit, I've had my doubts about your story."

"But I _did_ come back. That must count for something."

"I suppose it does."

"So you'll come with me?"

He was silent for a moment. Then he said, "You destroyed the Oblivion Gate, they say. You gave them hope. You helped drive the daedra back. Yes, I'll follow you to Weynon Priory and hear what Jauffre has to say. Lead on."

We climbed out of the smoldering wreckage of the city and followed the refugees down the hill. It took longer than I'd have liked to get through the encampment. I waited at the other side, watching him as he went around the camp to check on everyone. I didn't understand, but I hadn't had a place I'd called home in a long time. By the time he made his way over to me and we started down the hill, it had begun to drizzle. Soon it began to rain. My hood kept most of the water off my head. Martin had no such luck. Regardless, we were both soaked in minutes.

Grumbling, I found a large tree that kept the ground beneath it relatively sheltered and sat down. Martin sat beside me and started wringing the water out of his hair.

I pulled out my map, careful not to drip on it. "It's nearly a two week journey to get from here to Weynon Priory on foot. Sooner, if we cut across the wilderness, but I'll not risk that."

"So what's the plan?"

"We take the Gold Road, stopping for supplies in Skingrad. Then we'll take the Red Ring Road north around the Imperial City to the Black Road, and from there to Weynon Priory."

He nodded and I rolled the map back up, storing it in its case once more.

"We should get moving," I said. The rain didn't look like it was letting up anytime soon, and I didn't want to waste any more time.

He looked at me. Strands of damp brown hair were plastered to his olive-toned face.

"I think you should rest. It was a long night for everyone. You especially, from what I heard."

"I'm _fine_. The most important thing right now is getting you to Jauffre in one piece."

"Which isn't going to happen if you wear yourself out," he pointed out. Peering up at the sky, he continued, "Besides, it's probably best if we don't travel in _that_."

I glared at him. Damn it, he was right. I knew he was right. And that was the problem. Sighing, I leaned back my head and closed my eyes.

* * *

By the time I woke, the rain had stopped and it was already into the afternoon. I wanted to get as much walking in as I could before sundown, so we started quickly started down the road. Martin was quiet the whole time, and it was like having an annoying itch. He walked a fair pace behind, too. I had to look back every few minutes to check if he was still there. He always was, but it was unnerving. The whole first day passed like this, and well into the second.

Then, around midday, I heard a sound. A rustling noise, off to the side of the road. I stopped, and Martin did too.

"What is it?" He asked.

"I heard something. Wait here, I'm going to check it out." He started to follow and I hissed, "_Stay here!_"

I slunk off through the grass, bow drawn. I didn't see anything but a deer bounding off into the distance. Frustrated, I lowered my bow. I was about to go back when something hit me from behind. I cried out as I went down, thudding heavily on my side, my bow flying out of my reach. Before I could react, someone grabbed me by my hair and yanked my head back. Eyes watering, I looked up at the fur-clad Redguard grinning down at me.

"I'm sure you've got money, huh?" She brought a knife to my throat. "I'm going to make quite a bit off you."

I was sure I was going to die. It was my fault for being so stupid and letting down my guard. But then there was an explosion and the bandit collapsed. I dropped back on the dirt, my scalp and left shoulder burning. I sat up, wincing and clutching my head. Looking up, I saw Martin frowning down at me.

"I thought I told you to stay on the road!" I shouted at him.

"If I had, you would have died." He tried to help me up, but I pushed him away.

"I could have handled it myself." I stood shakily and grabbed my bow. "Let's keep going."

Martin grabbed my arm. "You've been hit."

"I'm fine."

"No you're not. If you don't get that arrow out, it will fester."

I looked and, sure enough, it had been an arrow I'd been hit with. No wonder my shoulder hurt so badly. But when I reached to pull it out, Martin stopped me again.

"Let me do it." He said.

I relented and he made me sit back down while he pulled the arrow from my arm. I gritted my teeth to keep from hissing in pain as it tugged against my flesh. He noticed.

"Don't stop," I hissed. "Just get it over with."

When he'd finally gotten it out, I insisted on taking it. It was still usable, and there was no sense in wasting it.

As he magically healed the wound, he asked, "You're one of Jauffre's fighters, then?"

"A fighter? No. I shouldn't even be in this mess." Right. I should have been in prison. I was starting to wonder if there _was_ a divine plan, and the reason I was in it was to be taught some kind of lesson. Divines only knew what for.

"Why come and find me, then?"

"I've only got two rules; never go against the Empire, and never go against the Nine." I got back up and rolled my shoulder. It was sore, and likely would be for a while, but it felt healed. "You hit both, so now I'm stuck with you."

I stalked back towards the road, not wanting to waste any more time. But I wasn't fast enough to miss the look of dejection on his face.

* * *

The sun was setting behind us on the fourth day when we reached Skingrad. I'd been through on my way to Kvatch, so I knew where to go. Immediately after passing the gates, I made my way to the Two Sisters Lodge. I got a room and told Martin to stay put while I went out for supplies.

I got back to the Lodge at later in the evening, just as all the shops were starting to close. When I got to the room's door, it was locked. Good. I'd told him to lock it while I was gone. He'd actually listened to me for once. I knocked.

There was no response.

I tried again. Still nothing.

I picked the lock, grumbling all the while, and opened the door. Martin was in the chair by the window, dozing. I suppose it _had_ been a long day. He awoke with a start when I walked in.

"I'm back." I said, rolling my eyes.

"Sorry." He blinked and looked at the door with a frown. "I could have sworn I locked that…"

"You did." I dumped my pack in the corner.

"Then how…"

I lifted my hand, wiggling the pick between my index and middle fingers before tucking it back in my ponytail.

"You're a thief." He said, rising from the chair. There was a definite frown on his face now.

"I told you I wasn't a fighter. And it's _ex_-thief, by the way. I haven't been one in years."

"I thought you said you didn't go against the Nine."

I faced Martin, crossing my arms. "Look, I've done some things in the past that I'm not proud of. I was young, foolish, and it seemed like a good idea at the time. But that's all behind me now. Got it? End of story."

Something about what I said must have resonated with him, because his expression suddenly changed to something between guilt and remorse. "_That_ I can understand."

"Fine. Now, we still need to get to Weynon Priory. I'd suggest you get some sleep."

I took the chair he vacated. When he started to protest, I raised a hand. "No, I don't want to hear it. I'm staying right here."

After that he didn't argue. He took the bed and was soon asleep. I watched out the window for a few minutes, noting the odd looking Bosmer skulking about in the street below. Making a mental note to watch out for that one, I got up and locked the door before returning to my chair.

My last thoughts before succumbing to sleep were of Martin's reaction to what I had said. It intrigued me, to say the least. Perhaps the priest wasn't quite as saintly as he appeared. And maybe, just maybe, I'd find out the story behind _his_ regret.

* * *

"Oh, for the love of Talos… would it kill you to try being a _little _quiet?"

"It's dead, isn't it?"

"That's not the point!" I pointed an accusing finger at him as I snapped, "I could have killed it myself if you hadn't gotten in the way."

"I'm so sorry everyone can't be as _talented _as you."

That kind of conversation was becoming increasingly frequent as we continued down the road. An imp had popped up, crawling out of the bushes some way down. Normally, I'd have shot the thing and had done with it. But no. I swear that man couldn't sneak if his life depended on it… which it usually did.

I swore Martin was going to drive me straight to Sheogorath. If the fate of the Empire hadn't depended on him, I'd have dumped him on the side of the road and not looked back. Instead I grumbled about him under my breath.

It continued on like that for the rest of the day, and the next. Then the sky opened up, pouring rain drenching us to the skin.

"_Are you kidding me?_" I shouted at the sky.

Martin put a hand on my shoulder. "We must find shelter."

I squinted through the falling sheets of water, trying to see anything that might work. Down the road, in the side of a hill, was…

"Is that a cave?" I asked, pointing.

"It looks like it. Let's go."

We stumbled into the tunnel. My boots crunched over the dirt and stones that covered the ground. At the end, the tunnel opened up in a large chamber. Water dripped from the ceiling, illuminated in some spots by some kind of glowing crystals. A set of twisting chasms cut into the ground, cutting the small section by the entrance off from the rest of the cave. Ahead, I could see what looked like a small, deserted campsite. I didn't think that it had been _just_ abandoned. Sure enough, I thought I could hear the shriek of imps in the distance, and I thought I saw one flapping around in the shadows at the back of the cave.

"Wait here, I'm going to see if I can clear out some of the imps. If I'm not back soon…" I looked at him and shook my head. "Just wait here."

Taking a running leap, I jump the thinnest part of the chasm and landed on the other side. Nodding back at Martin, I drew my door and crept through the cave.

For some time, things were relatively quiet. Up top there was only the one imp that I'd seen, and it never saw the arrow shot it with. But near the back of the cave was a tunnel leading further in. Maybe down into the chasm? I slunk down, keeping an arrow at the ready and my back to the wall. The tunnel ended in another chamber, this one much smaller. There was a bedroll in the middle. A corpse lay on top of it. It didn't look that old. Kneeling down, I pulled the purse out of its boney grip. I put the few coins I found inside in my own purse.

"What happened to you?" I murmured. I doubted that a single imp could do _that_ much damage. There were numerous claw marks one the bones themselves, more than one could make. That could only mean that there were more somewhere in that cave.

I got to my feet just as a loud shrieking sound came up a dark hole that I hadn't seen before and just barely had time to draw my sword before they came at me. It was a blur of claws and teeth and flapping wings. I slashed into the swarm, and they slashed right back. Gashes opened up all over my face and arms. I screamed and kicked one of them in the face before dashing back off the way I'd come. Behind me, I heard their talons scratching against the walls and the frenzied beating of their wings. Sparks flashed over my head and I ducked to avoid being hit. Emerging from the mouth of the tunnel, I turned to face the remainder of the swarm. There were fewer than I'd thought, only five left, and one was injured. I cut it down first before dispatching the others. Once I was finished, I kicked the remains down the tunnel.

I stood there a minute, trying to catch my breath. I touched my face, wincing as I felt the deep scratches there. Pulling a rag out of my pocket, I cleaned off my sword. Then I sheathed it and walked back towards the entrance of the cave. When I was once again safely on the other side of the chasm, Martin hurried over to me.

"By the Nine," he gasped, his eyes taking in my ravaged face. "What happened?"

"Imps. A _lot _of them." I sat down on one of the bedrolls and started to assess the damage on my arms. It could have been worse; the leather kept some of the blows away from my skin. My face, on the other hand…

Martin sat down beside me. He reached up, cupping my chin in his hand, and looked over the gashes on my face. There was earnest worry in his eyes, which I was almost surprised to see.

He sighed. "How is it that whenever you tell me to wait somewhere you get yourself hurt?"

"It wasn't anything I couldn't handle this time."

"_This_ time."

"Since when did you care?"

He looked me right in the eye as he said, "We're in this together. If you get yourself killed, then all of this will be for nothing. You have to trust me; I'm not the bumbling fool you seem to think I am."

"When did I say you were?"

"You didn't need to."

I gazed back at him and, for the first time, I noticed that his eyes were not the icy-blue that the Emperor's had been; they were the soft blue of the summer sky. Martin was not what I had been expecting the Emperor's son to be like. Not by a long shot. Not even for a lost heir who never even knew who he really was. I don't really know what I was expecting. Someone strong, someone with power… someone with the conviction to lead a thousand men. I wasn't sure that was the man before me. But he was all that I had and, by the Nine, I was going to make do.

"I should get these healed," he said. I shook my head and pulled away.

"I'll do it."

I placed my palm against my cheek where some of the worst scratches were. Grimacing, I closed my eyes. Through my closed lids, I could see a pale, golden light. The flesh and skin around the cuts knitted back together. When it was finished I moved on to some of the others. I only healed the worst; the rest could heal on their own.

Soon I realized Martin was staring at me.

"What?"

"I didn't know you could do that," he said hesitantly.

"There's a lot you don't know about me," I whispered, crossing my arms. I could hear the rain still pounding outside, as well as what sounded like thunder. We weren't going anywhere anytime soon.

"You're right. I don't even know your name."

I was shocked to realize that no, he didn't. Not once had it come up. I'd known his, of course, but he'd never asked me mine. And I'd never told him.

"Mara. Mara Fides."

"Mara… Like the goddess?"

I shrugged. "My mother's doing. She was a healer, and she wanted me to follow her path. I never wanted that."

"And your father?"

"He was in the Legion. That's how he and my mother met."

"Ah." He clasped his hands. "Where are they now?"

"Dead."

"I'm sorry for your loss."

I said nothing else and for a few minutes he remained respectfully quiet.

"I must ask… do you know what happened to the Emperor?"

I nodded. "Yes, I was there."

"Were you?"

I realized that, while Jauffre knew, I hadn't actually told Martin yet. Whoops.

"I… I was the last person to speak to him. He used his final moments to tell me to find you." I sighed and looked at the ceiling of the cave. "I'm not working for Jauffre; he just told me that you were in Kvatch. And it's a mistake I even wound up in this at all. It should be someone else here right now. I was in prison, see, and they put me in the wrong cell. His escape route went right through it. Somehow I wound up here."

"I thought you gave up thievery."

"I _did_. This was… different. I don't want to talk about it."

"All right. I understand."

He didn't delve any further into my problems. After a few minutes, I realized with shock just how much I'd told him. I shot him a look, suddenly wary. I don't trust people. Back in the guild, I'd been 'Sister Thief' to them. To me, they were 'associates'. That was it. They weren't my family, they weren't my friends. Only Ladia knew much about my past, but that was only because she lived in Pelagiad and had known my mother. They didn't know me. Not really.

So how did this man, who I'd known for only a few days, manage to get more out of me than people I'd worked with for years? Maybe it was because he was a priest. I'd always been taught by my mother to confide in those who had dedicated their lives to the Nine. But that wasn't it. It was something about _him_. And that's what was so infuriating. If he had been imperious and arrogant and whatever else, like I'd expected, I could have dealt with him. It just would have been a job I had to do. And, until I actually met him, it had been.

But this man, _this infernal man_, was thwarting my expectations at every turn. And I wasn't quite sure what to do anymore.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you liked it. Please review. I'd like some feedback as to how I'm doing on this.**


	5. Chapter 5: Setbacks

**Disclaimer: I only own Mara Fides. Everything else belongs to Bethesda**

* * *

Soon the woods thinned out, leaving us on top of a rise. Out here in the open the wind gusted past and I had to brush back the stray curls it blew into my face. In the distance I could see the White Gold Tower of the Imperial City glittering in the afternoon sunlight. I stood there, gazing out at it.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Martin asked as he walked up to stand beside me.

I looked at him and shrugged. "It is."

"You don't sound impressed."

"Not much impresses me."

He smiled. "All right, then. What about it isn't to your liking?"

"I'm just… not used to this view. Everything looks strange to me."

"How so?"

"It's different from what I'm used to," I said. Before he could respond, I added, "And before you mention snow, I'm not talking about Skyrim, so don't waste your breath."

"I wasn't going to. I was just curious about what you _are _used to."

"Fine. Morrowind, Vvardenfell mostly. Have you ever been there?"

He shook his head.

"Well, it's not the ashy wasteland that everyone expects. Where I lived it was always warm. There were green hills as far as you could see, and mushroom trees everywhere. It was beautiful in its own way. What about you? Have you been to the Imperial City before?"

"I was a student at the Arcane University, once."

"Really? Were you any good?"

"I like to think I was."

"Fair enough."

He smiled at me and continued, "I was there for several years, until…" His smile suddenly faltered and fell.

"What is it?" I asked.

He shook his head. "I'm sorry. It's not that I don't trust you, but… I'm not sure I'm ready to tell you about that just yet."

* * *

The last leg to the Priory was easier. Somehow, things had become more open between us, like some kind of wall had broken down. I told him about Morrowind, about Pelagiad and Balmora and Mournhold. He told me about his profound love for books. I read, of course, but not nearly as much as he did. Books were his passion.

But there were still these secrets, lurking like shadows at the edge of the firelight. I could feel them, heavy on our shoulders. I was used to it by now. Secrets were something that I had plenty of. But every time the conversation turned in the direction of one of his, he faded into this kind of melancholic silence. Something was weighing on his soul. I can't explain why, but it frustrated me. I'd been pulled in too deep for my own good.

"Tell me about your family," I said on a whim the night before we reached the Priory.

He shook his head. "It's not important."

"Family is _always_ important," I snapped. I regretted it as soon as I'd said it.

He frowned at me, a quizzical tilt to his brow. I sighed and crossed my arms. I didn't want to tell him, but there was no turning back.

"I was twelve. Vvardenfell isn't always the safest place, especially not for an Imperial child. Some bandits caught me when I wandered too far from home. I think they were planning to sell me into slavery on Azura's Coast. They would have, too, if my father and some of the other legionnaires hadn't rescued me. All of the bandits were killed in the fight, but so was my father."

"I didn't know. I'm sorry."

I shrugged. "I learned to live with it. I did for eight years. It was just life. It happened. But that wasn't the worst part, no. When I got home and my mother heard what happened, it was like she was _gone_. She wasn't my mother anymore; she was just a lifeless husk. I don't think she even knew I was there, let alone recognized me. I couldn't take it. After a month I left home and didn't look back."

A tear slid down my cheek, and I faintly noticed that I was shaking. Martin was staring at me with a look of concern on his face. For some reason, I couldn't stop. The words just kept falling, unbidden, from my lips.

"You think becoming a thief was the worst thing I've done? No. Leaving my mother to die alone was. I should have been there for her when she needed me."

"You were twelve."

"I was old enough to take care of myself!" I snapped. "Why wasn't I old enough to take care of _her?_"

He didn't answer. I looked away, my fists clenching as I fought to hold back my tears. What had I expected that to solve? Nothing was going to bring her back, or Da. They were gone where I couldn't reach them.

Then I heard Martin sigh and say softly, "I don't remember my mother; she died when I was very young. My father and I didn't have much, but we made do. Even though it was difficult at times, he made certain I could read and, when I displayed an affinity for the arcane arts, he supported me. He became very ill when I was seventeen. I did the best I could to save him, but…" He trailed off. I looked over at him, watching as he clasped his hands together and lowered his head, his brown hair falling forward to obscure his face. "… it wasn't enough. When I went to the Arcane University, I went for him. It's what he would have wanted."

I didn't know what to say. Looking at him was like looking at a different person than I thought I knew. It just reminded me that, really, I didn't know that man at all. Not yet.

Martin glanced up at me and his blue eyes shone in the light of the fire. "Forgive me," he said softly. "I shouldn't-"

"Don't."

He stopped.

I stared him straight in the eye as I told him firmly, "Don't apologize to me about what you've done. I get it. At _least _you followed your dreams."

"Not quite." His voice was bitter, and I saw a coldness in his eyes. Yes, that mysterious 'until'. He'd been at the University 'until'… I didn't think it was right to ask about it. But what he had said was more than enough for me.

"Then we're more alike than I'd thought."

* * *

It was midday before we reached the Priory. Martin had gone quiet and a look of reservation had crept onto his face the closer we got to our destination.

"Everything will be _fine_," I told him, rolling my eyes.

At that moment, I caught sight of someone running down the lane toward us. The Priory's sheepherder. He stumbled towards me, out of breath and crying, "Help! You must help! They're killing everyone at Weynon Priory!"

"And I spoke too soon," I muttered. "What happened?"

"I don't know! I think they're right behind me! Prior Maborel is dead!"

Martin stepped in and asked the mer in a composed voice, "Calm down. Please, start from the beginning."

"I was in the sheepfold when they attacked. I heard the Prior talking to someone. Looked around the corner to see who it was. They looked like travelers, ordinary. Suddenly weapons appeared in their hands and they cut down the Prior before I could move! They saw me watching and I ran."

"Where's Jauffre?"

"I don't know. In the Chapel praying, I think. You must help us!"

Sure enough, a gang of familiar-looking black and red armored figures was racing toward us. Cursing inwardly, I drew my bow and snapped at the herder, "Get behind me." I shot one of them down before drawing my sword. They were getting too close, too fast for a ranged attack. Keeping the frightened mer back, I told Martin, "You may want to get out of here. This is going to get ugly."

"Not a chance."

The assassins reached us. I cut them down while Martin hurled spells into their midst. There weren't enough to overpower us, but they did force us back. Luckily, Martin was made of sterner stuff than I'd given him credit for. Eronor, however, fled to somewhere safer.

"Who are they?" Martin called over the fight. They had surrounded us, and we were forced to fight back to back.

"I don't know, but I've fought them before!" I shouted back. And I had. They wore the same armor as the assassins that murdered the Emperor. When they fell, the armor melted away to reveal those same blood-red robes. They were after Martin. But they wouldn't have him.

When all the assassins were dead, Martin turned to me and ran a shaking hand through his hair. "I think we should find your friend Jauffre at once."

"I'd hardly call him a friend, but you're right. Come on."

"I'm with you."

The two of us ran into the Chapel to find Jauffre cornered by the altar, holding off several of the agents. They heard us coming and immediately rushed to attack. One ran at Martin, weapon raised to strike him down. I fired at him, catching him in the throat with my arrow, and he crumpled to the Chapel floor. Martin spun to stare at me. It had been a close shot, I'll admit.

"Watch yourself," I told him as I rushed past to help Jauffre. As it turned out, he didn't really need it. He cut down the last assassin just as I reached him. His eyes flashed between the bodies scattered haphazardly about the chapel before finally noticing me. With a cry of relief he said, "You're back. Thank Talos! I was praying when I heard Prior Maborel shout. I had just time to arm myself." He stopped as if frozen by a thought. "The Amulet of Kings. I fear that was the target of this attack."

"Well, where is it?" I asked as I lowered my bow.

"I kept it secret in Weynon House. We need to go see if it is safe."

"All right. I'll go check."

"We'll go together, but I fear the worst."

He raced past and through the door, quick as lightning. Martin barely had time to move aside. I followed Jauffre and motioned for Martin to come as well.

"This wasn't part of the plan, was it?" He asked as we walked outside.

"You think?" I said with mock surprise.

Jauffre led us into the House, up the stairs, and around a corner. When I finally caught up with him, he was in a side room I hadn't noticed till then. He turned to me with fear in his eyes.

"They've taken it. The Amulet of Kings is _gone_. The enemy has defeated us at every turn!"

"Not quite." I murmured. "I've got Martin."

Jauffre hadn't really noticed my quiet companion until I nodded lightly in his direction. He peered around me into the hall and he raised his eyebrows, visibly shocked. "So it has not all gone against us." He breathed. "Thank Talos for that. We gained Uriel's heir and lost the Amulet of Kings." He took my arm and led me out of the room and down the stairs, saying, "Martin cannot stay here. We may have driven them off, but they will be back once they learn of Martin's survival. Which they will."

"Where in Talos's name can we keep him so he'll be safe?" The idea of such a place was getting slimmer with each passing moment.

"Nowhere is truly safe against the powers arrayed against us. But we must play for time, at least… Cloud Ruler Temple, I think. The hidden fortress of the Blades, in the mountains near Bruma. A few men can hold it against an army. We should leave at once."

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. The next one will be much longer.**


	6. Chapter 6: Fear

**Disclaimer: I only own Mara Fides. Everything else belongs to Bethesda. **

* * *

We traveled for five days. Bruma lay at the end of the Silver Road, which we were quickly closing in on. Soon enough we'd be there and then at least _some_ of my worries would be over. Jauffre kept Martin occupied most of the time, filling him in on exactly what was going on. We barely talked during the journey. The isolation I was what I was used to, having lived with it for so long. But from him? No. It was strange, to say the least. Every so often, though, I felt him watching me, and I wondered what he was thinking. But it wasn't my job to talk. My job was to get both him and Jauffre to Cloud Ruler Temple in one piece, and I planned to do just that.

Thunder rumbled ominously overhead. I frowned and looked up. Before there hadn't been a cloud in the sky, but thunderheads were quickly rolling in. More bad weather. More delays. Great. I rolled my eyes and kept moving.

After a few minutes the rumblings intensified. Behind me Martin called, "Mara?"

I looked over my shoulder to see him staring at the sky with dread. I lifted my eyes to see what it was. The storm clouds above us were roiling with red fire. Cracks appeared in the sky, blazing out to the horizon.

"No," I gasped. "What is that?" I heard Jauffre ask. I whipped my head around, looking for the source. Over the hill beside the road, I saw smoke and the flicker of fire that could only mean one thing.

"No. No!"

I leapt from my horse and stumbled up the hill. Martin shouted after me. I didn't pay attention; I was too focused on getting up there. At the top I skidded to a halt and stared ahead in horror as my worst fears were confirmed. An Oblivion Gate belched fire out onto the hillside. Daedra climbed out, clawing and roaring at the air. I was frozen, too shocked to even move. The sound of footsteps behind me a moment later told me that Martin and Jauffre had caught up with me.

"Talos preserve us," Jauffre whispered.

"Both of you, stay here!" I hissed, drawing my bow. As I crept in a circle around the Gate, watching the daedra that came out, I fired an arrow at one that was getting too close to where Martin and Jauffre were hiding. It fell with a screech and suddenly all eyes were on me. Flames scorched the ground where I had been only moments before as I ran. Right then I couldn't stop to get another shot ready; I had to get in and close the Gate. I was almost there, only feet away, when I felt claws rake my shoulder. Then a blast of frozen air whistled past my ear, taking the daedra with it. I whirled, my eyes wide.

"Martin! Get back!" I shouted.

But he was too close, and the daedra were coming at us from all sides. I had no time to draw my sword. Without thinking, I grabbed his arm and plunged through the fiery portal.

* * *

I didn't let go of Martin's arm until we were safely hidden behind some rocks. The daedra had followed us in, but quickly gave up pursuit. Once I couldn't hear them anymore, I turned on Martin with raw fury and spat, "_What is wrong with you?_"

"You would have been killed. I couldn't let you-"

"_Don't you understand?_ This is Mehrunes Dagon's realm! I've just let you walk right into his filthy claws!"

"I'm not dead yet, am I?"

Unable to think of a response, I snapped, "Go back. Now."

"I won't leave you here alone."

"I can close Gates by myself!"

"You closed _one_, and once does not make you an expert. Please, Mara. For once, let me help you."

I weighed the odds. He wasn't dead yet, which most likely meant that Dagon didn't know he was there. And the Deadlands were probably the last place he'd think to look for Martin. Two people meant that we'd be noticed easier, but it also meant we'd have a better chance of survival in a fight. And, really, he couldn't go back. They'd notice him.

"Fine," I groaned. "But you have to do _exactly_ what I say."

I peered around the boulder. I could see the Black Tower in the distance, surrounded by a lake of fire. There was a closer, smaller tower on this side of the lava. I squinted. Was that a bridge up there? It looked like it.

"We need to get up there," I said, pointing to the shorter of the two towers.

"What's your plan?"

"Exactly what it was last time; don't get caught."

We crept out from our hiding place and towards the tower. I climbed the ledge leading up to the door and, once I was sure that we were clear, helped him up beside me. Together we pulled open the door to the tower. I put a finger to my lips. When he nodded I nocked an arrow and slunk into the shadows of the tower. The dark room inside was lit only by the pool of fire in the center. It illuminated a lone scamp on the other side of the room. I fired my arrow, striking it at the base of its skull. It fell, crumpling on the other side of the fire. I stepped forward, keeping my back to the wall, and circled around the room. So far the only sign of life was that scamp.

"I think we're good," I whispered. "Let's move."

The path through the tower took us up through dark and winding halls that were eerily still and silent. No signs of daedra of any kind. It sent chills down my spine even though the air was hot and musty. Surely we should have seen something by then. More than that lone scamp in the entry, anyway. But even the chamber at the very top of the tower was empty. I frowned.

"Where are they?" I murmured.

"Maybe we got lucky."

"Not here," I told him firmly. "Never here."

The room was bare, save for a door and some kind of clawed mechanism on one of the walls. There was nothing else. As I turned back toward Martin, I saw him open the door.

"Don't!" I shouted, reaching for him. Beyond the open door was nothing, nothing but the empty fall towards the lava field below. Some part of me realized that he was going to fall. He already was. Then I was there, grabbing the back of his robe and hauling him back into the relative safety of the tower. We fell back, side by side, and hit the floor. I winced and pushed myself up on my elbows.

"Are you alright?" I asked Martin. He looked at me, obviously startled, and nodded. With that taken care of, I crawled over to the doorway and looked out.

"Be careful." Martin called from behind me. "It's strange; why would they have a door that leads to nowhere?"

I stared out at the black tower. It was so close, yet so far. Reaching down, I felt along the side of the tower.

"That's because it _doesn't_ lead to nowhere."

"What?"

I got to my feet and hurried across the room. Grabbing the lever, I yanked it down. The gears whirled and its red metal fingers clicked against them with a loud grinding and clanking that echoed off the walls. Moments later, the bridge began to slide out from our tower. I looked at it stretching out towards the Black Tower with some satisfaction.

"They'll have heard that," I told Martin as I helped him to his feet. "We need to hurry."

"Lead the way. I'm right behind you."

I stepped out onto the bridge first. It was narrower than would have liked, but I didn't doubt that I could cross it. Martin, however…

"Take my hand," I said, reaching back to him.

"Why? I'll be fine."

"Please, Martin. This is dangerous even for me. If you fall, I don't want to-"

He gripped my hand in his own. "I won't fall," he told me.

"You know it's not that I don't trust you."

He smiled softly. "I know."

As we inched across, I kept my eyes fixed straight ahead. The door was so close… so close…

There was a rumbling sound and the bridge beneath us started moving. I whipped my head around. A dremora was waiting for us at the doorway in the tower that we'd just left. And the bridge was sliding back towards it.

"Run!" I shouted, pulling Martin along. "_Run!_"

Somehow we managed to keep our balance as we dashed over the receding strip of stone. As we neared the Black Tower, and I saw the gap between the bridge and the door, I knew we'd never make it. Not unless we did something crazy. As the distance shortened between us and our goal, I saw the door open, another dremora ready with a morningstar. Perfect.

"We need to jump!"

"Are you mad?" Martin cried.

"Just do it!"

If I timed this right, we'd be fine. We'd make it.

"On my signal," I said. His hand tightened around mine as we put on speed. "Ready… set…"

The dremora cackled and shook his head. My eyes narrowed.

"_Jump!_"

I pulled Martin along behind me as I launched myself from the bridge and through the doorway. The dremora couldn't get its mace up in time to stop us as I crashed headlong into him. The momentum sent the three of us sprawling. I was up first, standing over the dremora while it tried to struggle to its feet. I stomped down on its exposed throat, crushing its windpipe. It shuddered, choking as it tried to breathe, before it lay still.

"Let's go," I told Martin. "We're almost there."

The top of the tower was built like the one that I had closed in Kvatch, with a gray tunnel leading up to the roaring chamber at the top. I peered around the doorway into the main room. Leaning back against the wall, I whispered to Martin, "There are three of them that I can see, and maybe more up top. We'll have to be fast."

He nodded and wisps of frozen mist dripped from his hand as he prepared his spell. I drew my sword.

"Now."

I whipped around the corner, racing straight for one of the dremora. It spun to face me, but I was faster. I dodged its swing and lashed out with my blade. With a wet crunch its head went flying. I heard a shattering sound and a roar of pain; Martin had hit one of the dremora. It fell back with wickedly-sharp shards of ice buried in its chest. The final daedra fired a spell at me. I jumped to the side, dodging that shot and its next. A blast of ice from Martin threw it off balance, long enough for me to stab my blade through the weak spot under its arm. It collapsed, snarling, as I slid out my sword. I had barely heard it hit the floor when I dashed up to the next level.

"Watch the stairs," I called over my shoulder. "They're slippery."

The upper floor was empty. I ran around towards the ramp up to the platform with the Stone. Nothing jumped out at me, so I quickly sheathed my sword and ascended. As before, the roar of the flame and the orb was nearly deafening, but this time I was prepared for it. I ignored the buzzing in my skull as I walked towards the orb. I reached out for it, bracing myself for its heat. But before I could reach it I heard the roar of flame behind me and I leapt aside. The fireball intended for me exploded against the platform. I whirled around to find myself facing a creature made entirely of flame. It hovered a few inches above the ground, its burning face turned towards me. I saw it lunge at me, felt its hands grasping. I screamed and wrenched myself away. From somewhere below I heard Martin shout. Right then, I had no thoughts to spare for him. I was barely able to do more than fumble with the hilt of my sword before another ball of flame came hurtling towards me. I threw myself to the ground to avoid being hit. The atronach bore down on me, both hands obscured in fiery halos. I crawled away from it, but I knew it was too late. It raised its arms high above its head as it prepared to cast an inferno down on me.

"No!"

The daedra turned fast, barely blocking Martin's swing with and upraised arm. With a metallic shriek, half of the forearm fell to the ground. Its fire fizzled out, leaving the amputated limb as nothing more than ash. The atronach lunged at him, and he dodged the attack. Then he pushed forward again with the daedric sword he wielded. While they were busy, I crawled out of the way and scrambled to my feet. I had to get the Stone. That was the only way we'd make it out now. I reached out and snatched the Stone from the air. Behind me, I heard the sounds of roaring fire and shattering ice, then the sound of a blade clattering against the platform.

"Mara!"

I spun, wild eyed, to see the daedra cast Martin down. His sword lay out of his reach. I ran at them. The orb was tucked under one arm while I reached for my sword with the other. He couldn't die. Not now.

The beam of fire that had been supported by the Stone exploded, rocking the whole tower. I fell to my knees beside Martin, barely keeping hold of the Stone. The atronach winked out of existence as the tower began to collapse beneath us. I felt Martin pull me into his arms as if trying to shield me. I braced myself against him and squeezed my eyes shut.

* * *

The next thing I felt was Martin's arms loosen around me. Somehow we weren't dead. I opened my eyes and looked around. The rubble of the Gate lay all around us in black, broken pieces. I stared at him, suddenly at a loss for words. We weren't dead. I started laughing and so did he.

"My Lord, are you injured?" Jauffre hurried over to us, looking frantic. "I saw you go into the Gate, and I feared the worst."

"No, we're both fine," Martin reassured him.

Jauffre's eyes snapped onto me. Was that disapproval I saw in them? Did he blame me for Martin going into the Gate? I looked away and said quietly, "We should keep moving. Pray we don't see any more of these."

I heard Jauffre walk away. Beside me, Martin got to his feet. He held out his hand to me and, after a moment of hesitation, I took it and he pulled me up.

"You know," he said thoughtfully, "I don't believe I've ever heard you laugh before."

"And I don't think you ever will again."

I adjusted my grip on the Sigil Stone and followed Jauffre's lead back toward the road. Martin followed, quickly coming up beside me and matching my step.

"Did I do something wrong?" He asked.

I refused to look at him. "No. I just want to get to Cloud Ruler Temple without any more surprises. If we do run into another Gate I'll get you out alive, Divines willing."

"What about you?"

"This isn't about me."

He stopped me with a hand on my shoulder. "Yes, it is. You've gotten us this far, haven't you?"

"I hate to say it, but we've been very, very lucky so far. By all rights, we should both be dead." I turned and looked him square in the eye as i told him, "I'm not sure if I can get both of us out alive if we go into the Deadlands again. But if we do, believe me, I _will_ make sure that it's you who survives."

* * *

We stopped before the gates of Cloud Ruler Temple. I stared up at the high walls and pulled my cloak tighter around myself to ward off the cold. Snow covered the ground all around us. The frigid wind didn't help. Luckily it wasn't long before the gates swung open and a man rushed out to meet us.

"Grandmaster, is this…"

"Yes, Cyrus, this is the Emperor's son, Martin Septim."

"My Lord! Welcome to Cloud Ruler Temple. We have not had the honor of an Emperor's visit in many years."

Martin, I could see, wasn't quite sure how to respond. His brow pinched together and he said uncertainly, "Ah, well, thank you! The honor is mine."

Jauffre steered him away, hurrying him through the gateway and up the stairs into the courtyard. "Come. Your Blades are waiting to greet you."

Martin shot me a look plainly saying, "_help_." I shrugged and gave him a sympathetic grimace. There wasn't anything I could do.

On the other side of the courtyard was a long building with a low, slanting roof. Before it were two lines of men and women in armor; the Blades, all in full uniform. I walked to stand at the end of the right line, behind Cyrus. Jauffre pulled Martin onto the building's front steps and turned him to face the crowd. To them he called, "Blades! Dark times are upon us. The Emperor and his sons were slain on our watch. The Empire is in chaos. But there is yet hope. Here is Martin Septim, true son of Uriel Septim!"

As one, the Blades drew their swords and I jumped back in surprise. "Hail, Dragon Born! Hail, Martin Septim! Hail!" They roared, thrusting their blades towards the sky.

"Your highness, the Blades are at your command. You will be safe here until you can take up your throne."

Jauffre and the Blades watched Martin expectantly and silence settled upon them like a thick coating of dust. Martin's eyes flitted between them and, for a moment, I could see he wanted to be anywhere _but_ there.

"Jauffre. All of you. I know you all expect me to be Emperor. I'll do my best. But this is all new to me. I'm not used to giving speeches." He let out a nervous laugh. Everyone was silent. I saw him clench and unclench his fists while his eyes roamed the crowd. His gaze stopped on me, and I gave him a small smile, mouthing, "_Go on_."

He took a deep breath to steady himself. "But I… I wanted you to know I appreciate your welcome here. I hope I prove myself worthy of your loyalty in the coming days." Silence. "That's it. Thank you."

"Well then," Jauffre said after an awkward pause. "Thank you, Martin. We'd all best get back to our duties, eh, Captain?"

The Blades dispersed. Once their focus was off him, Martin hurried through the throng, straight toward me.

"Not much of a speech, was it?" He asked shakily. I bit my lip to keep from smiling. "It didn't seem to bother them, though. The Blades saluting me and hailing me as Martin Septim… I don't mean to sound ungrateful. I know I'd be dead now if it weren't for you. Thank you."

I just nodded, while silently thinking about how he'd handled himself on the road. He might have made it through all by himself if he'd been given the chance to fight. However, I was glad that he'd never had a chance to test it.

"… But everyone expects me to suddenly know what to do. How to behave. They want an Emperor to tell them what to do. And I haven't the faintest idea…" He trailed off.

"I hate to interrupt, but we've still got to get the Amulet back," I reminded him.

"Of course. The Amulet of Kings. So we… I…" he amended quickly, "… can take it to the Temple of the One and light the Dragonfires. And stop the Oblivion invasion."

"And then you'll be Emperor."

"The Emperor…" He laughed and shook his head. "_That's_ an idea that will take some getting used to. In any case, we need the Amulet first. Maybe Jauffre will know where to start."

"I should go check. But if you want me to stay-"

"Don't worry about it, my friend. I know I'm in good hands here." Then, with a hint of a smile, he said, "Farewell. For now."

He turned and walked towards the Fort's main building, leaving me staring blankly after him. In that moment something changed. He thought of me as a friend and I… I didn't mind. What I did mind was the thought of having to leave. Suddenly I didn't want to. It hadn't just been an offer. I wanted to stay. Gods forgive me,_ I wanted to stay_.

Jauffre approached me eventually and said quietly, "You have proven yourself a loyal servant of the Empire, as worthy as any of the Blades to stand by Martin's side during this crisis. As the Grandmaster of the Blades, I would be honored to accept you into our order. Will you join us?"

I looked at him. The Blades were sworn to protect the Emperor… wasn't that what I was doing anyway? What could it hurt?

"Yes, I will join the Blades."

"Then kneel."

I did.

"Do you, Mara Fides, swear undying loyalty to those of the Dragon Blood? To protect and serve them to your final breath?"

"I do, sir."

"Then it is my honor to welcome you into our ranks as a knight sister of the Blades."

I got to my feet. "Cyrus, fetch the girl a blade. She's one of us now."

Cyrus looked my way, nodded, and went through a door off the main building.

"I don't mean to interrupt, sir, but about the Amulet…"

"You're right. We must try to recover the Amulet before the enemy takes it out of our reach." Jauffre walked into the main hall, and I followed him. "You should return to the Imperial City. Baurus may have learned something about the assassins."

"Baurus is still there?"

"Yes. You'll find him at Luther Broad's Boarding House in the Elven Gardens district."

Cyrus returned a few minutes later, a sword in his hands. He held it out to me. "Welcome aboard, ma'am. It will be an honor to serve with you." I nodded and took the sword from him. It was the lightly curved kind that all of them carried. I drew it and tested its weight and balance. Satisfied, I sheathed it and strapped the scabbard to my hip.

"Give my warm regards to Baurus," Jauffre told me. "Tell him he should not blame himself for the Emperor's death. He did well to send you to me."

"Will do, sir."

* * *

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed it. Comments would be appreciated :)**


	7. Chapter 7: Dawn

**Disclaimer: Everything but Mara Fides belongs to Bethesda.**

* * *

The bar of Luther Broad's was mostly empty by the time I arrived. A few people lingered at the tables, but not many. There was a lone man sitting at the counter, nursing an ale. As I got closer to him, I saw who it was.

Before I could say anything, he whispered, "Sit down. Don't say anything; just do what I say." His lips barely even moved as he spoke. I sat down on the stool beside him and stared at the counter. "Listen. I'm going to get up in a minute and walk out of here. That guy in the corner behind me will follow me. You follow him."

I didn't look up to check; I knew better than that. I was sure my every move was being marked.

"Ready when you are," I mumbled, making as little sound as possible.

"Good. Remember, wait for him to follow me. I want to see what he'll do."

Baurus got to his feet and strolled around the counter and through a door in the back. He'd barely made it through when, sure enough, a man got up and followed him. Once I was sure he wouldn't notice I slunk after him, through the door and down the stairs beyond.

The stairs leading down to the inn's basement were lit only by the flickering light of torches on the walls. Ahead, I saw the shadow of the man as he crept down the stairs. I followed silently and drew my sword as quietly as I could. He didn't notice. There was a low rushing sound and an armored glove appeared on his hand. As he approached Baurus he raises his arm. A daedric dagger appeared in his closed fist.

"Baurus!"

I slapped the assassin's hand down with the flat of my blade. His dagger went clattering across the floor and dematerialized. The man spun to face me with a snarl. I sliced open his neck, nearly taking his head from his shoulders, and barely jumped aside in time to avoid the splash of blood that followed. His body collapsed to the floor with a thud.

I looked up from the corpse to Baurus and raised an eyebrow. He nodded.

"Search his body. I'll keep an eye out, in case any of his friends are nearby."

I knelt down to see what I could find. The man was a Breton, I saw, and was completely plain. His skin was pasty, his dark hair graying. His garments, other than the thick streak of red down his front, was just like any other man's on the street. There were a handful of coins in his on him. I pocketed them.

"I am glad to see you, by the way," Baurus said from behind me. "You just caught me at a bad time."

"Every day of the week, it seems. What've you learned?"

"The assassins who killed the Emperor were part of a daedric cult known as the Mythic Dawn. Apparently worship the Daedra lord Mehrunes Dagon. I've been tracking their agents in the Imperial City. I guess they noticed."

I snorted. "I can see that." While I looked, I kept talking, "I found Uriel's heir. Martin Septim."

Baurus clapped his hands together in what might have been a prayer. "Thank _Talos_ he lives! Martin Septim, you say… We will restore him to the throne! It is the sworn duty of all Blades."

"It's not going to be that easy. The enemy has the Amulet."

"What? They took it from Jauffre? Things are worse than I had thought…"

That's when I noticed the pocket sewn into the back of the man's shirt. Reaching in, I pulled out a book the size of my hand with a purple cover. I opened it and took a look inside.

_Commentaries on the Mysterium Xarxes_

_Book One_

_by Mankar Camoran_

Beneath that, in Daedric lettering, was one word. Dagon. I frowned and kept reading.

_Greetings, novitiate, and know first a reassurance: Mankar Camoran was once like you, asleep, unwise, protonymic. We mortals leave the dreaming-sleeve of birth the same, unmantled save for the symbiosis with our mothers, thus to practice and finally rapproachment, until we might through new eyes leave our hearths without need or fear that she remains behind. In this moment we destroy her forever and enter the demesne of Lord Dagon…_

I got to my feet and brushed my hair back over my shoulder. "What do you make of this?" I asked, holding out the book. Baurus took it from me and flipped through a few pages. He shook his head.

"There's a scholar at the Arcane University. Tar-Meena's her name. Supposed to be an expert on Daedric Cults. Why don't you take it to her, see what she makes of it. I'll keep running down leads on the Mythic Dawn network. If you learn anything, you can find me here. May Talos guide you."

When I got to the Arcane University I asked for Tar-Meena and was told to wait for her in the lobby. So I did. It took some time before the Argonian stepped through the door. I got to my feet.

"Ah," she said with a smile. "You must be the one I got the message about. How can I help you?"

"A friend told me you're the one to go to about daedric cults. I need to talk to you about the Mythic Dawn."

She looked surprised. "You know of them? One of the most secretive of daedric cults. Not much is known about them. They follow the teachings of Mankar Camoran, whom they call 'the Master'. A shadowy figure in his own right."

"Well, I found one of their books." I held the small tome out to her.

"Ah yes. 'Commentaries on the Mysterium Xarxes.' Wonderful! You have a scholarly interest in daedric cults, then?"

"Not… not quite. I need to find the Mythic Dawn."

"Find them, eh? I won't poke my nose any further. Official business and all that." To my look of surprise, she replied, "I'm used to working with the Blades, don't worry. Say no more. In any case, finding them won't be easy. I've studied Mankar Camoran's writings a bit myself, at least those that I could _find_. It is clear from the text that Mankar Camoran's 'Commentaries' come in four volumes, but I've only ever seen the first two books. I believe that his writings contain hidden clues to the location of the Mythic Dawn's secret shrine to Mehrunes Dagon. Those who unlock this hidden path have proven themselves worthy to join the ranks of the Mythic Dawn cult. Finding the shrine is the first test. If you want to find them, you'll need all four volumes of the 'Commentaries'."

"Any idea where to look?"

"You can have the library's copy of Volume Two. Treat it gently, if you please! As I said, I've never even seen the third or fourth volumes. You should try First Edition, over in the Market District. Phintias, the proprietor, caters to specialist collectors. He may have an idea of where to locate those books."

I left the University, my mind on the market and wondering how I was going to get my hands on those books.

* * *

"I'm Phintias, owner and proprietor of the First Edition. Look around. If I don't have it, maybe I can get it."

I leaned against the counter with one hand while the other rested on my hip.

"What about the Mysterium Xarxes?" I asked.

"You must mean the Commentaries on the Mysterium Xarxes. Common mistake." I frowned at the snobbish tone he was giving me. "It comes in four volumes. The first two volumes are rare, but you _may _run across them from time to time. The third and fourth are impossible to find."

"Well, I need volumes three and four."

"I happen to have a copy of Volume Three on hand, but I'm afraid it is a special order." He shrugged. "Already paid for by another customer, and Gwinas would be terribly disappointed if it was gone when he came to pick it up. _So sorry_ I can't help you."

He certainly didn't sound sorry.

"Who is this Gwinas, anyway?"

"I don't know him personally, but he was very eager to get his hands on Volume three of Camoran's 'Commentaries'. Came all the way from Valenwood! As a matter of fact, he's already late for his appointment to pick up the book." Phintias looked anxiously towards the door. "Feel free to wait for him if you want to speak to him yourself."

"Oh, I'll do that," I said grimly.

I leaned against one of the walls, arms crossed and watching the door. I waited for a good half an hour before the Bosmer walked in. He was dressed in red robes, nice ones with embroidery, and his chestnut hair was pulled back. He ignored me and made his way straight to the counter.

"I'm here for my book, Mankar Camoran's 'Commentaries' Volume three." He said.

"Of course, here you go." I heard a rustle as Phintias reached beneath the counter and pulled out a small, wrapped package. "Keep us in mind for any future needs."

"Thank you, thank you. I cannot tell you how long I've been looking for this book!"

Gwinas promptly left, and I followed him out the door. Once I felt that we were a good distance from the shop, I called, "Master Gwinas, I'd like to talk to you about that book you have, the 'Commentaries'."

He whirled around, clutching the package tight. "Have you been following me? Leave me alone! That book is _mine!_"

"Are you with the Mythic Dawn?" I snarled.

"The Mythic Dawn? Are you… I mean, I don't know what you're talking about! I don't know anything about any cult."

I chuckled blackly. "Oh, you're in _way _over your head."

"I beg your pardon? You presume to tell me about daedric cults?" He puffed out his chest as he said, "I'll have you know I visited the Shrine of Sheogorath during the Festival of the Mad! I've spoken with Hermaeus Mora beneath the full moons! I've…"

I slammed the mer back against the wall. "_They murdered the Emperor, you s'wit!_"

All color drained from his face and he stuttered, "What? The Mythic Dawn were the ones… You have to believe me! I truly had no idea. I mean, I knew they were a daedric cult. Mankar Camoran's views on Mehrunes Dagon are fascinating, revolutionary even… But to murder the Emperor… Mara preserve us!"

I almost laughed at the irony.

"Give me the book. Now."

"Yes. Of course! I don't want anyone to think I had anything to do with their insane plots! Here." He shoved the wrapped book into my hands. "Volume three is yours. What you do with it is your business."

"I need the fourth as well."

The Bosmer's expression turned dark. "You can only get Volume four directly from a member of the Mythic Dawn. I had set up a meeting with the Sponsor, as he calls himself. Here, take this note they gave me. It tells you where to go. I don't want anything else to do with the Mythic Dawn."

I released him and he handed me a small, folded piece of parchment before tearing off. I watched him go, then unfolded the paper.

"Sewers under the Elven Gardens." I murmured. It was time to talk to Baurus.

* * *

"You're not easy to get a hold of. What have you found out?"

I'd just stepped back in to Luther Broad's to find Baurus waiting for me. As I walked over to meet him, I pulled out the note and waggled it between my first and middle fingers. "I got a meeting with a member of the Mythic Dawn to get the last of the 'Commentaries'."

"Let me see that," he said, snatching it away. As he read, I smiled and crossed my arms. "… This might just be the break we've been looking for! Good work."

"I try."

"We need to get that fourth book, then. If Tar-Meena is right, we can use these books to locate the Mythic Dawn's hidden shrine. Let's go. I know that part of the sewers well."

Baurus led me out of the inn and through the streets to a small grate. He went down first. I followed, jumping the last few rungs onto the moldy stone floor of the sewer. I wrinkled my nose.

"And here I was, hoping I'd never have to set foot in another sewer again."

"Sorry, Mar. It can't really be helped.

"I know." I rolled up my sleeves and shook out my arms. "Let's just get this over with."

Our path led us through winding tunnels that almost made me feel like we were was going in circles. Baurus finally stopped me at a wall. On our level was a sturdy door. To the left, a flight of stairs led to another door above us.

"All right. The room with the table is just through this door. I always wondered who put it there…"

"Baurus. Focus."

"Right, right. I happen to know that if you go up the stairs there, you can get a vantage point on the meeting room. I think I'd better be the one to handle the meeting. You'll be my backup. Keep watch from above in case of trouble."

I wasn't good with people, and I probably would have blown the whole thing if I'd been left to the meeting. So I nodded. "I'll cover you."

"Good. Remember, _we_ _must not leave here without the book_. It's our best chance of finding the Amulet."

I tightened the laces on one of my bracers. "Ready when you are."

He didn't go immediately. Instead, he put a hand on my shoulder. "Listen. I may not survive this. But if I don't, _you _must. You must recover the book and find the Amulet of Kings."

I smirked and shook my head. "You're not going to die."

"Mar, I'm serious."

"You're not going to die because I'm not going to let you. If I need to take the shot, I won't miss."

"Glad to have you at my back." He squared his shoulders and turned towards the door. "Let's do this."

As he stepped through the door, I hurried up the stairs. Inside was a kind of bridge. Baurus sat at a table below. Candlelight flickered off his expressionless face. He didn't once look up at me. Good. I was less likely to be caught if he ignored me. I drew my bow and nocked an arrow. Just in case.

After a minute, a red-robed figure walked out of a side passage. I trained my arrow on him, keeping as quiet as possible. If we were lucky, I wouldn't have to shoot.

"So, you want to become one of the Chosen of Mehrunes Dagon?" He asked Baurus. "The path of Dawn is difficult, but the rewards are great. I have the book you seek. With it, and the Master's three other books, you will possess the key to enlightenment..."

I heard the sound of a gate creaking open. On the other side of the bridge two figures in red robes stepped out of the shadows. They were headed right for me. My gaze snapped down to Baurus and back up again. The Sponsor was still talking to him. At any moment the cultists would catch sight of me and it would all be over. I bit the inside of my cheek and tried to keep my hands from shaking.

Just a minute more. All we needed was the book.

One of the cultists suddenly stopped and grabbed the arm of the other to stop him. I saw him peer through the gloom. At that moment, the sponsor stood and said, "Wait, I've seen you before. You're the Blade that Brother Astav was tailing!"

He fell onto the table, my arrow sticking out of his back.

The two cultists fired spells at me, but I was already running down the stairs. Baurus waited at the bottom.

"Come on!" He shouted at them.

I slid to a stop, turned, and nocked an arrow in time to see them summon their infernal armor. I fired at one of them, but he knocked my shot aside. Cursing, I backed up. Baurus charged and I heard the sound of metal clanging against metal. The remaining cultist strode towards me. I tossed my bow aside and drew my sword, bringing it up just in time to block his swing. He laughed and the sound came out as a guttural, rasping echo from behind his mask.

"I do not fear death, " he said. "Can you say the same?"

I shoved my sword up, snarling with effort, and pushed his back several inches.

"_Yes_."

I ducked out of the way. The effort of trying to hold me back was suddenly gone and he fell, his armor clattering on the stone floor. When he rolled over and tried to get back up, I slammed my boot down on his chest, pinning him down, and stabbed my blade down between the plates of his armor. He didn't make a sound. Snarling, I ripped his stomach open. Blood poured out, staining the red robe that appeared on him. He let out a final gasp that sounded like, "I go to my Lord," and was still.

I turned away from the corpse to see Baurus finish dispatching the other cultist. He stared down at the mer grimly.

"That's three more that won't be reporting back to their master." He walked over to the table, pulled the book out of the hands of the body that lay sprawled across it, and handed it to me. "Now that you have all four books, you should be able to handle things from here. I'm going to Cloud Ruler Temple. My place is at Martin's side."

"Gods be with you, Baurus."

"You, too."

* * *

Tar-meena was waiting for me. She looked up from the book she was reading, her amber eyes bright.

"I think I may have figured out the hidden message in Mankar Camoran's books! Do you have the third and fourth volumes with you?"

"Uh, yes. Right here."

"Excellent. Let's see…" She flipped through the pages, delicately running a clawed finger down paper and murmuring to herself as she read. "Yes! The first letter of each paragraph spells out a message! Write this down: 'Green Emperor Way Where Tower Touches Midday Sun.' Are you familiar with Green Emperor Way? The gardens around the Imperial Palace. Something must be revealed there at noon! How exciting!"

"It's almost noon now."

She gave me back the books and waved towards the door. "Go, go. You don't want to miss it. I've half a mind to go down to Green Emperor way myself and see what's there. Well, good luck. I hope you find what you're looking for."

I tucked the books under my arm and raced out of the University.

* * *

Green Emperor Way was silent as I walked between the headstones and mausoleums. The grass was dry and brittle. It crunched beneath my feet with every step I took. The shadow of the White-Gold tower led me deep within the graveyard to a lonely mausoleum. I circled it, staring at its stone walls. Nothing. I stopped and crossed my arms. It didn't help that I didn't know _what_ I was looking for.

In the distance, the bells in the Temple District struck twelve. As they did, the symbol of the rising sun appeared at the top of the door. Beneath it was a map of Cyrodiil. Both glowed with a sinister blood-red light. I stepped forward, tracing a path from the Imperial city to the large star marking a location in the upper right-hand corner.

Cheydinhal.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you all liked it. Many thanks to Neko overlord and XxAprilyne for the reviews. It meant a lot to me.**


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